Retailers, fans and collectors outside of Japan have long desired a central source for getting the fabulous merchandise based on the titles from Tezuka Osamu, whose substantial output and innovative techniques earned him the revered reputation as the “father of the manga format.”

Now, Tezuka Productions, the company formed to cherish Tezuka’s spirit and promote his works, has chosen Diamond Comic Distributors as a preferred partner for distribution of its products to worldwide markets outside of Japan.

Starting in Diamond’s December PREVIEWS catalog, retailers and fans can look forward to a wide variety of TEZUKA products, including toys, action figures, vinyl and resin figurines, playsets, busts, t-shirts, prints, comics, and other collectible products.

“Tezuka Osamu often said that manga and animation were just like the international auxiliary language of Esperanto, which increases understanding of peoples around the world, “said Mr. Yoshihiro Shimizu, Tezuka Productions’ General Manager. “Now his words and stories can be more broadly known as TEZUKA and fans around the world can connect with and enjoy their beloved characters more easily. I take off my hat to the skilled Asian craftsmen who make such excellent Japanese pop-culture goods and encourage retailers and fans to obtain those products through the thousands of stores in Diamond Comic Distributors’ global network.”

“Fans have enjoyed the stories of the many character creations of Tezuka for decades,” said John Parker, Diamond’s VP of Business Development. “Now, Diamond has collected the many products for Astro Boy, Black Jack, Kimba the White Lion, and the many others into a broad program that will satisfy those fans and collectors for many years. We are excited to bring the many products for these famous characters to the vast number of fans in countries outside Japan that have previously had only limited access to these national treasures.”

ASTRO BOY ATOM PLUSH
Imported from Japan! From Osamu Tezuka’s most famous creation, Astro Boy, comes this line of small plushes! Fans of Astro Boy can collect plushes of Atom, Uran, or Dr. Ochanomizu that feature designs based on Tezuka’s original artwork!
SRP: $29.99 each

JUNGLE EMPEROR LEO: LEO FACE CUSHION
Imported from Japan! Another of Osamu Tezuka’s creations, Jungle Emperor Leo, will keep you company at night with this Leo Face Cushion!

ABOUT TEZUKA PRODUCTIONS: More than a decade has gone in the 21st century, which is the setting for most of Tezuka Osamu’s works. When you look around Japan and the rest of the world, things about which Tezuka Osamu expressed concern in his works – abnormality in nature, wars, food crises, economic uncertainties, and dysfunctional families – are still widespread on Earth. Tezuka passed away on February 9, 1989 but his work has not lost its power; on the contrary, it now has more relevance than ever before. Tezuka Productions, the place where TEZUKA Osamu worked, believes in the mission to cherish Tezuka Osamu’s spirit and spread his message about “the preciousness of life” to children everywhere. For more information, visit http://tezukaosamu.net/en/

ABOUT DIAMOND COMIC DISTRIBUTORS (DCD)—Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books, graphic novels, and related pop-culture merchandise, serving thousands of retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.